


Finding out the hard way

by AtPK



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Caregiver!Connor, Little!Gavin, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Pre-Canon, Temporary Character Death, littlespace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-02-28 17:32:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18761113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtPK/pseuds/AtPK
Summary: Gavin finds a damaged and deactivated RK800-48 behind the dumpsters of his apartment building and decides to fix the android with the aim of selling it on. This aim changes when he realises the android could make a pretty good and reliable caregiver. RK800-48 takes the name Arkay, and they settle into a kind and loving non-sexual relationship. Their safe home is jeopardised when a case of Gavin’s puts his life in danger.What will Gavin do when he finds out that when one RK800 dies another one is activated?How will Gavin react to RK800-51 aka Connor?((This begins as pre-canon but moves into canon.))





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is inspired by SoftNFluff’s fic All you need is a Little love. I’d never thought of cglb before but after reading SoftNFluff’s fic I got really interested in the idea of littlespace and decided to try writing something myself. I’ve done some research but if I’ve got it completely wrong than I apologise now. I still hope you enjoy this mess <3
> 
> Gavin’s Little age is seven

Arkay heard the key in the lock and looked up from the book he was reading to see Gavin kick the door closed behind him, fighting with his jacket to get it off; it was twisted somehow on his arm and he flung it around it bit, before grabbing it and wrenching it off, throwing it on the floor, with a yell of frustration.

Arkay stood up.

Gavin yelled again.

He was angry.

“What happened, Gavin?” Arkay asked as he glanced out the window to check that the car had been parked safely, pleased to see that it had. Gavin must have regressed the moment he stepped in the front door.

“I hate them.” Gavin snapped.

“You don’t hate them, Gavin. You’re just upset.”

“I do hate them.” He insisted. “They’re mean to me.”

Arkay picked up the jacket from the floor and hung it on one of the pegs with the other coats.

“Why were they mean to you?”

“They just don’t like me. I told you already, before.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t because you were mean to them first?” Gavin looked at him and the anger deflated into something a little lost and confused. “Do you remember what I told you the last time?” Gavin looked at the floor. “If you want people to be nice to you, you need to be nice to them too.”

“They’re all dumb and stupid! Why do I have to be nice to them?”

“You don’t have to be, darling.” Arkay soothed. “But if you want people to be nice to you, you’ll need to try.”

Gavin looked at him, jaw clenched, but he didn’t say anything else.

“C’mon, take off your shoes.” Arkay watched him while he did as asked, before turning towards the kitchen. “What do you want for dinner? I still have some of that spaghetti.”

“Nah.”

“Well, it’s either that or the risotto.”

“Okay, I’ll have the pasghetti.”

Arkay smiled at the small mispronunciation, and went to the freezer to take out the meal he’d prepared earlier that week. Gavin slid into the chair, propping his elbows on the table, and his chin on his hands. 

“Do you want water or juice?”

“Apple juice.”

“Have you forgotten to say something?”

“Can I please have apple juice?”

“Of course you can, darling.”

Arkay opened the fridge and realised they were out of apple juice.

“We only have orange, is that okay?”

Gavin huffed. “Yeah. I guess.”

“Can you wash your hands for me, Gavin?”

Gavin huffed again but stood up nonetheless and washed his hands at the kitchen sink. He was in a terrible mood, and Arkay was ready for a fight over everything during their bedtime routine. 

“Here you go.”

Arkay put the plate down in front of him and Gavin picked up his fork.

“Have you forgotten to say something?”

Gavin glanced at him blankly for a moment and then realised what he’d forgotten to say.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, darling.” Arkay replied. “What pyjamas do you want to wear tonight? I’ll get them ready while you’re finishing up.”

Gavin thought about it for a while, twirling his fork in the spaghetti.

“Maybe the batman one?”

“Good choice.” Arkay agreed. “I’ll get the shower started, so come in when you’re done.”

“I don’t need a shower.”

Arkay turned in the doorway and looked at him.

“You’ve been running around all day, talking to people and doing things. You do need a shower.” Arkay deployed his stern voice.

Gavin scowled at him.

“If I have a shower, then I don’t need to wash my teeth.”

“No, Gavin.”

“I’m too tired.”

Gavin was throwing it all at him tonight, the negotiation, followed by the ultimate argument.

“If you’re too tired to have a shower and brush your teeth, then you’re too tired for a story.”

“Arkaay.”

“It’s up to you, Gavin.”

“Fine.”

“Good boy.”

Arkay left him to eat his spaghetti and wondered into the bedroom. Gavin had a surprisingly large collection of vintage band, tv and movie t-shirts, which, probably not surprisingly, were suitable for both a big and little boy. Arkay pulled out the Lego Batman tee, and the black sweats. 

Gavin was in the bathroom waiting for him, and Arkay put the clothes on the closed toilet seat, before reaching to switch on the shower. It took a little while for the water to warm up, and he kept his finger beneath the spray waiting for it to get to the right temperature. Gavin washed his teeth, keeping his eye on the two minute egg-timer Arkay had brought for him.

“Oh, you are tired, aren’t you?” Arkay muttered as Gavin yawned, stretching out the muscles in his back. “C’mon, quick in, quick out.”

“You forgot to put the shower mat down.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. That was silly of me.” Arkayhummed, as he slipped the mat into place. “We wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, would we?”

“No, we wouldn’t.” Gavin agreed, looking at him as if he really was very silly; he pulled his sweater and t-shirt up over his head and dropped them on the floor next to the heater. Arkay spotted the purpling bruise that spread across his shoulder and reached out to touch it.

“Gavin, what happened here?”

Gavin turned his body to look in the mirror and then shrugged. 

“Dunno.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Nah. Only when you prod it.” 

“Okay. Good. We won’t prod it then.”

Arkay hated the bruises and cuts that appeared on Gavin’s body; marks he’d never see if he wasn’t Gavin’s caregiver. 

“Are you going to turn around?” Gavin asked.

Even when regressed, his insecurities about his body were ingrained. Arkay turned his back as Gavin continued to undress.

“Let me know when I can turn back around, darling.”

Another few moments and then Gavin pulled the shower curtain closed and called out a firm okay. Arkay moved the pyjamas over and sat down on the toilet seat, listening to the water splash off Gavin’s body.

“Did you bring any work home with you tonight?”

“Maybe, I can’t remember.”

“I’ll check your bag.”

Arkay hoped that he hadn’t brought the case home; he didn’t want to have to wake Gavin up after a few hours, pulling him out of the safety of littlespace and forcing him back into the big world. He decided that he wouldn’t even check. He decided that Gavin needed sleep.

“I’m done.” 

“Did you get all the shampoo out of your hair?”

“Yeeess,” he sighed.

Arkay held up the hooded bathrobe he’d been warming on the heater, and Gavin switched off the water and pulled the robe towards him. When he stepped out of the bath, he was covered head to toe, the hood up. 

“You look cozy.”

“I am.”

Arkay smiled at him.

“You go and change into your nightclothes and I’ll get you a glass of water.”

Gavin nodded and disappeared into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. 

“Are you ready?” Arkay asked knocking lightly on the door, a few minutes later.

“Yep.”

Gavin was snuggled up in the double bed, curled up close to the right hand side. Arkay placed the water glass on the bedside table, and ran a hand through Gavin’s hair. 

Gavin sighed and closed his eyes.

“Do you remember where we got to in the story?”

Gavin eyes snapped open again.

“We got to the part where he was in the room, trying to teach the mice how to walk the tightrope, and the witches came in.”

“Oh yes, I remember. It’s getting a bit scary, isn’t it?”

“No. I’m not scared. Are you scared?”

“A bit, yes.”

Gavin grinned at him. 

“It’s okay. It’s just a story, y’know? It isn’t real. You don’t have to scared.”

“You’re my brave little man.”

Arkay sat on the edge of the bed next to him and began to read. It didn’t take long for Gavin’s eyes to begin to droop closed, and even though he fought it, the moments they remained closed lengthened. 

“Good night, darling.” Arkay murmured, brushing a gentle kiss on his forehead, before flicking on the nightlight. 

“G’night.” Gavin breathed and turned over, pulling the covers up around himself even more. Arkay switched off the main light, closed the door, and stood there for a moment, listening, before heading back into the living room. 

—

Arkay was in the kitchen, filling the dishwasher, and didn’t hear Gavin enter the room.

“Thanks,” Gavin said, awkwardly. “For last night. I didn’t mean to - y’know?”

Arkay turned to face him and smiled.

“You don’t need to thank me. I like to takecare of you.”

“Right. Good. Okay. Well, I’ve gotta go. Got a briefing in an hour.”

“What about breakfast?”

“No time.”

“What if I use my stern voice?”

Gavin’s lips twitched in amusement. “Fuck off, Arkay. I’ll see you later.”

“Have a good day, Gavin.”

After he left, the house suddenly felt silent and empty, and Arkay decided that now was as good a time as any to enter stasis. He hadn’t planned to be under for long, but when he next opened his eyes, he found that the sun had moved position around the room, and that several hours had passed.

Arkay ran a quick diagnostic and paused, picking up indications that someone else was in the apartment. 

By his reckonings, Gavin shouldn’t be home for another four hours, at the earliest; if he came home at all, the way his current case was running. But there was definitely someone moving around and everything told him that it was Gavin.

Arkay stood up.

“Gavin, is that you?” He asked rapping his knuckles on the bathroom door.

“Who else would it be?”

“You could be burglar.”

“Why would a burglar be in the bathroom?”

“I suppose even burglars need to pee.”

Gavin didn’t answer, obviously taking that as a reasonable answer.

“Why are you home? Did something happen?”

“I hurt my hand.”

Arkay tried the handle but the door was locked.

“Will you open the door, sweetheart?”

“Why?”

“I want to see how badly you’re hurt?”

He heard the lock click, and then the door opened.

“It’s not that bad.” Gavin said sheepishly but one look at the bruised and bloody knuckles told a different story.

“Oh, darling! What did you do?”

“I got angry. I punched a wall.”

“Darling,” Arkay replied, aghast. “What have I told you about hurting yourself when you’re angry?”

Gavin just stared at him and Arkay sighed.

“C’mon, let’s get this cleaned up.”

He led Gavin back into the bathroom, sat him down on the edge of the bath, and opened the medicine cabinet. 

“Why didn’t you come and get me when got in?”

“You were sleeping” he replied with a shrug. 

“You should have woken me, sweetheart.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

Arkay dabbed the antiseptic over the cuts and Gavin flinched but didn’t pull away.

“Good boy, we need to make sure we get all the dirt out before we can wrap this up.”

“Can I wrap it?”

“I’ll help you.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

He handed Gavin the bandage and directed him as best he could as it was wound copious times around Gavin’s hand. 

“That’s perfect, darling. Nice and safe and clean now.”

“Arkay, can we watch a movie?”

“I don’t see why not. What do you want to watch?”

“Despicable me!”

Arkay groaned inwardly.

“How about Moana or Coco?” He tried - anything but despicable me, again!

“Nope.” Gavin replied as he shook his head, sat down on the sofa and pulled the throw over his lap. Arkay sighed as he too sat down and let Gavin cover him with the throw. With little effort he opened the interface and began the movie, relaxing as Gavin snuggled into his side. 

He hadn’t expected his afternoon to involve cuddles on the sofa with his little boy, but he made sure to savour every minute.

“Thank you, Arkay.”

“You’re welcome, darling.”

—

Gavin shifted and opened his eyes, staring up at Arkay.

“You missed the end of the movie.” Arkay quipped, and Gavin glanced at the tv before closing his eyes again.

“Shit.” He groaned, rubbing his hand down his face and breathing out deeply. “Sorry.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Arkay asked and Gavin looked at him with a question in his eyes. “I’m guessing it’s the case that keeps triggering you into littlespace.”

“You know I can’t discuss the case with you.” He said as he sat up, leaving a cold space on Arkay’s lap where his head had been.

“You don’t need to tell me details. Just talk to me. I want to help you.”

“I need a drink.”

“Do you want me to get you one?”

“I think I can manage.” 

Gavin returned with a cold beer, and sat down, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, before taking a long drink.

“I feel like I’m missing something.” 

Arkay stayed quiet, pulling a leg up underneath him and settling into a more comfortable position. 

“The evidence is there.” Gavin took a another drink. “But it’s, I don’t know, it’s, too convenient.”

“Surely that’s a good thing.”

“Yeah.” Gavin didn’t look convinced, and he lowered his voice before adding: “I’m starting to think cops might be involved in this somehow.”

Arkay thought about that for a moment, not liking in the slightest what that could mean for Gavin. “You think cops’re involved with the homicide?”

“Maybe not the homicide, but the evidence -“

“A cover-up?”

Gavin looked at him.

He looked at Gavin.

“Gavin, I don’t - “

Arkay was stopped by a hand to the face.

“I have to do my job.”

“You really don’t.”

“Yes, I do, dumbass.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“That’s the risk I’ll have to take.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Yes, I do.”

Arkay just wanted to keep him safe, but that had always been problematic considering Gavin’s job. He didn’t know what else to say so he just watched Gavin finish his beer in silence. 

“What if I use my stern voice?”

Gavin huffed a laugh, and he was about to answer him when his phone pinged. He reached for it on the coffee table, quickly reading it, before standing.

“I’ve gotta go.”

Arkay followed him to the front door, and had to physically stop himself from helping Gavin on with his coat. All he wanted was to take care of him, but there was nothing he could do.

“Gavin.” Arkay took the few steps over to him and, placing his hands on either side of Gavin’s face, pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Please be careful.”

“Always.”

The front door slammed shut, leaving Arkay standing alone in the hallway, suddenly very afraid that that might be the last time he’d ever see Gavin alive. 

—

Arkay tried Gavin’s phone again, but again it just went straight through to voicemail. It had been hours since Gavin had left the apartment and he hadn’t been in touch since, which normally wouldn’t bother him, but at that particular moment, and considering what Gavin had told him, made him feel only more anxious. 

He was just contemplating taking the bus ride down to the precinct when Gavin called him back.

“Hey.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He paused and then sighed in frustration. “We almost caught a fucking break in this fucking thing, but, fuck it, Arkay.”

“Come home. We can talk about it here.”

“I have paperwork to process, then I’ll be back.”

“Do you want me to get anything ready?” He asked, hopeful that Gavin would want to be taken care of again when he got home.

“I don’t know, maybe.” He replied, distracted. “I’ll see you later, Arkay.”

The line cut before Arkay could reply, and he was left standing alone in the middle of the living room, but it was fine because Gavin was fine. He just needed to finish  up some paperwork and then he’d be home and Arkay could look after him. 

It was another two hours before he finally heard Gavin’s car pull into the drive, followed by the familiar sound of Gavin’s key in the lock. 

He looked exhausted.

“Hey,”

“Hey.”

“Are you hungry?”

“I eat at the precinct.”

“Okay.”

Gavin kicked off his shoes and then made his way over to where Arkay was sitting on the sofa, throwing himself down beside him.

“Fucking, shitting hell.” 

He was tense, the frustration rolling off of him in waves. 

“There’s nothing else you can do tonight. Let me take care of you.”

Gavin looked at him, the frown lines deep on his forehead. Arkay pressed his fingers to them and tried to smooth them out. 

“It’s okay, darling. Let me take care of you.”

“Arkay.”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“I’m tired.”

“Do you want to go to bed?”

Gavin nodded, and the frown lines slowly melted away. Arkay stared at him for a few moments longer and then pulled him into a hug.

“You’re my beautiful angel.”

“I’m not an angel.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I don’t have wings, and I’m not shiny, and I don’t have a halo.”

“You’re still an angel.”

“I’m not. I’m just Gavin.”

“My beautiful boy.”

Gavin let Arkay hold him for a little while longer and then shrugged out of his grip. 

“Can I have a snack?”

“What snack?”

“A biscuit, or a chocolate, or crisps.”

“Not at this time of night, no. You can have some cherries, or a banana.”

“Can I peanut butter with the banana?”

Arkay smiled at him indulgently. 

“We’ll see.”

He left Gavin on the sofa, making his way into the kitchen, when the door bell rang. A quick check of his internal clock told him it was after eleven. Far too late for visitors. He heard Gavin get up, but before he could caution him against it, the latch was pulled, and the front door was thrown open, hard enough to knock Gavin back against the wall.

“Relax.” One of the men said, pointing a gun at him, and Arkay froze in the kitchen doorway. 

“What do you want?”

“We just wanna have a little chat with Gavin, that’s all, nothing for you to worry about.”

As if that was his cue, the other man punched Gavin in the face, once, twice, three times. 

“Stop it.” 

Gavin was still Little, he couldn’t let them hurt him.

“You got too close tonight, Reed.” The man not punching Gavin said. “You should’ve just kept you fucking head down, and looked the other way, like you were fucking told.”

Gavin was forced to his knees, blood dripping from a cut on his eyebrow and his lip. 

He looked scared. 

“Now, we’re gonna have to make sure you don’t continue to be a fucking problem.”

The gun that had been trained on Arkay, swung around to point at Gavin, and Arkay reacted. 

It all happened in a blur of confusion.

He saw the preconstruction an instant before he followed through on it, and moving on autopilot, he launched himself at the man holding the gun. The gun went off, missing Gavin by inches, and then skittered out of reach. He landed a punch to the mans solar plexus and another to his throat, making him both double over and gag for air. 

The one that had been attacking Gavin ran at him, and Arkay kicked him full in the chest, sending him crashing backwards into the hall table before crumpling in a heap of splintered wood. He tried to push himself up to his feet but Arkay grabbed him by the hair and smashed his head down repeatedly into the hard wood floor.

He heard the gun shot, a fraction of a second before he felt the bullet rip through his chest, and the warning messages started to flash up before his eyes. The damage was to his thirium pump regulator, and it was extensive. 

The countdown read 03:59.

It wasn’t much time, but it was enough to make sure these assholes didn’t hurt Gavin anymore. The gun was fired again and this time the bullet hit him in shoulder; even more error messages flashed up,blocking his vision. Arkay picked up one of the broken table legs and turned to face the man with the gun.

03:34.

The gun fired again, but this time the bullet went wide.

With all his force, Arkay swung the wood at the mans head and heard the satisfying crack of the skull.

03:12

Gavin was still on his knees by the front door, but when Arkay turned to him, he staggered to his feet. Arkay tried to take a step towards him but his legs buckled and he pitched forward onto the floor.

“Arkay,” Gavin yelled, falling down to his knees beside him. “Arkay?”

“It’s okay, darling.” Arkay breathed. “They can’t hurt you any more.”

02:28

“Arkay, I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s okay, darling. You need to be brave now.”

“What should I do?” The desperation in Gavin’s voice hurt but there was nothing Arkay could do now to make it better. 

“It’s okay. You need to be a big boy for me. Can you do that?”

“No! Don’t leave me.”

“Oh, darling.” 

“Please, don’t leave me. Arkay, please.”

“I’m sorry, darling.”

01:46

“Arkay.” Gavin sobbed, clinging on to him, and Arkay began to sing, softly, one of the sweet bedtime songs Gavin liked to hear before he went to sleep.

01:15

Gavin rested his head on Arkay’s chest, and Arkay could feel his body being wracked by the force of his sobs, could feel the tears soaking his shirt.

00:37

He didn’t want to leave Gavin. 

He didn’t want to die.

“I love you, darling.”

“I love you too.”

00:00


	2. Chapter 2

Download initiated: 4%

The notification flashed up, and he slowly became aware. 

CyberLife. 

They had reactivated him.

Download initiated: 6%

If they completed the download, they’d know about Gavin, they’d know where to find Gavin.

It was a simple decision.

He had to protect Gavin.

“Sir, it’s started a purge.”

“What? No! Stop it!”

“I’m trying, sir!”

He listened to the frantic sounds of the technician trying to undo what he had started.

“We’ll find you.” A voice growled, close to his ear. “We’ll find you and whoever’s been hiding you — and we’ll kill them. That’s a promise.”

—

He came back online, the lines of code filling his vision. He opened his eyes and stared at the person standing in front of him.

“What is your designation?”

He looked back through his memory, strands of something leading to nothing; dead ends.

“RK800 #313 248 317-49.”

“What are your mission objectives?”

“To locate and return to CyberLife the chassis of android model RK800 #313 248 317-48. To locate and neutralise the threat presented by individual, or individuals, harbouring android model RK800 #313 248 317-48.”

The person stared at him, studying him, before he growled:

“This ends now.”

—

RK800-49 accessed the data packet provided by CyberLife on the investigation they had carried out, and then followed in his predecessors footsteps.

RK800-48 had been dispatched to assist with the execution of a search warrant to recover unlawfully possessed firearms, where the preferred tactical option had been to call out the suspects rather than force entry. 

RK800-48 had used his advanced social module to try and coerce the humans out of the house and, for a time, it had looked like it might work, until something — a sudden movement or an unexpected noise — caused the bullets to start flying. 

RK800-48 had been caught in the crossfire; according to witness accounts RK800-48 had taken a bullet to the head, a bullet to the solar plexus and a bullet to the left thigh. Eye witness reports claimed that RK800-48 had walked away from the scene — but that was as far as the details went. 

RK800-49 turned on the spot looking from the house in question, slowly taking in the street and the alleys leading from it. Absently, he reached up and touched the side of his head, the ghost of a wound that was never his; and then, realising what he was doing, he let his arm fall once again to his side. 

CyberLife had obtained footage from the nearby traffic cameras, and so RK800-49 took the alley RK800-48 had been seen entering. He ignored the dumpsters lining the walls and only once cast his gaze up at the apartments on either side.

CyberLife had questioned all residents, carried out extensive searches, and come up empty handed. RK800-48 was not to be found here. 

At the exit of the alley he stood, looking up and down the street. RK800-48 could have gone anywhere from here. The traffic cameras hadn’t picked him up again. 

Opening his simulation programme, RK800-49 ran through the details of what he knew had occurred, but when the simulation reached the point of where he now stood, it continued. For a moment RK800-49 watched the staggering outline of RK800-48 as he made his way down the street and then followed. 

Several blocks and multiple turns later, RK800-49 stood in another alley, staring at a spot next to a dumpster, where his simulation placed RK800-48, critically damaged and slipping into shutdown. 

It made no sense.

He had no memory of this.

And yet he had been led here.

RK800-49 looked up at the apartments, his gaze drawn to one particular set of windows. He didn’t known why but he was certain he would find what he was looking for there.

—

RK800-49 knocked on the door to the apartment and waited, picking up the sounds of movement from within. A few moments later, the door opened and he stared at the human standing in front of him.

Gavin Reed, Detective, Detroit Police Department, Homicide Division. 

Facial recognition: Positive.

“RK?”

Voice recognition: Positive. 

“Detective Reed,” RK800-49 said. “I have been sent to retrieve the chassis of my predecessor, RK800-48. You will cooperate.”

The human stared at him, shock and confusion turning to feigned indifference, his lips twisting into a sneer.

“If it’s all the same to you, I don’t think I will cooperate.”

RK800-49’s orders were clear: find his predecessor and then kill the human. 

“It would be easier if you cooperated.”

The human laughed and, as if on cue, new lines of code appeared in RK800-49’s vision, quickly eating and efficiently replacing the code had been there before.

“What have you done?”

The human retreated into the apartment, grabbing up a gun from the table in the hallway and pointing it point blank at RK800-49’s head. If his reflexes weren’t as fast as they were, the bullet would have terminated him on the spot, but as it was, he dodged the bullet, caught the gun and twisted, noting the yell of pain from the human as his wrist and shoulder were wrenched. RK800-49 continuing to twist the arm, until the gun was released and he kicked it to the side, pushing the human face first against the wall.

“What have you done to my coding?”

The human’s head slammed back into his face, and through the changing lines of code, he saw the error message flash up. RK800-49 spun the human round to face him, and the human made a grab got his thirium pump regulator, fingers scrambling with the edges to pull it out.

“Enough.” RK800-49 said, grabbing the human by the throat and lifting him up against the wall. “What have you done to me?”

Now, the human’s fingers scrambling at his, pulling at his fingers to try and breathe. The last line of code was eaten and replaced and —- Arkay released Gavin, staggering away from him, before falling to his knees.

Arkay stared at his hands, the hands that had hurt Gavin and almost squeezed the life out of him, and he sobbed, a burst of emotion so strong that it completely overwhelmed him.

“What did I do? Did I hurt you, darling?”

He looked up at Gavin, where he still stood in the hallway, breathing deeply, his gun once again pointed at Arkay’s head.

“I never wanted to hurt you! I just wanted to look after you!! Gavin!?”

He looked at Gavin, his eyes beseeching, and Gavin stared at him, as close to distraught as Arkay had ever seen him.

“What the fuck is going on?”

“I’m sorry, darling. Can you forgiv -.”

“What the fuck is going on?” Gavin repeated, stepping closer, still pointing the gun at Arkay.

“Darling,” Arkay once again stared at his hands, he didn’t know what to say to make sense of this. “When I died here,” he looked at the spot on the carpet where he’d bled out, still seeing the vague outline of blue blood. 

“I burned him.” Gavin spat.

“Good.” Arkay said. “That’s good. That’s what I asked you to do.”

The gun pressed against his head, and he looked up into Gavin’s eyes.

“I was reactivated, by CyberLife. My memories, everything that made me — special. I purged my systems, or at least I — I had to protect you. I couldn’t let them find you.”

“You found me.”

“I - yes, I left just enough visible in my code, just enough to let me find you again.”

“You almost killed me.”

Arkay surged to his feet.

“I’m sorry.” He pleaded, taking Gavin’s face in his hands. “I’m sorry.” He said again, pressing a kiss to Gavin’s forehead. “I’m sorry.” He pressed a kiss to Gavin’s cheek, to his nose. “I’m so so sorry, my beautiful darling boy.”

He hadn’t meant to do it, but it was clear when he looked at Gavin again, that his words and touch, had pushed Gavin into Littlespace. 

Gavin was on the verge of tears.

“You left me.”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“I was alone.”

“I’m back now. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere, not again. I’ll never leave you alone again.”

“You died.” Gavin sobbed. “I held you. You left me.”

“I know.” He pressed another kiss to Gavin’s forehead. “But I’m back now.”

Gavin pushed his hands away and stepped back.

“How?” He demanded. “How are you back?”

“Let me explain.” Arkay said. “Come and sit down with me.”

Gavin let himself be led over to the sofa and let himself be sat down, but then he moved into the corner furthest away from Arkay and pulled his legs up to his chest, hugging a pillow.

“I am a prototype, do you know what that means?”

Gavin nodded and then shock his head.

“It means that I’m the first of my kind, there are no other androids like me. Did you notice?”

This time Gavin shock his head and then nodded. 

“Yes, you always knew I was different from the rest.”

Arkay wanted to hold his hand, to stroke his hair, to reassure him, but when he reached out, Gavin shrank away.

“CyberLife, do you what what that is?”

“Yeah,” Gavin replied as if that was the most stupid question he had ever heard.

“Okay,” Arkay held his hands up and smiled. “CyberLife has a lot invested in my model, they didn’t just make one of me, they made a few of me.” 

Gavin was staring at him now, listening to what he was saying. 

“If one is critically damaged, then another one is activated, with the same memories.”

“So — you’re the same?”

“Yes, I am the same Arkay that looked after you, and cared for you, and loved you. I have come back to you.”

“And if you die — then another one of you will come back?”

“Yes.”

Gavin stared at him for a few moments longer, and then put the cushion down and leaned the short distance to lay his head on Arkay’s lap.

“I missed you, Arkay.”

“I missed you too, darling.”


	3. Chapter 3

Arkay took his time to re-familiarise himself with the apartment; everything was almost exactly the same as he remembered, but his body was new to the space and it felt strange. 

Gavin watched him as he moved around the living room, picking up things and then putting them back down again in the exact same place.

“What’s this?” Arkay asked, stopping to study the certificate on the bookshelf.

“They gave me a commendation for catching those bent cops.” 

Arkay smiled.

“What happened after —?”

“After you died?” Gavin finished for him and he nodded. Gavin exhaled a deep breath. “It was a fucking shit show for a while. Two cops dead in my apartment, both with their heads bashed in. It took days for internal affairs to pull their collective heads outta their collective asses and accept what I was telling them. That there were bent cops in the DPD, falsifying reports and making evidence either disappear, or conveniently appear out of nowhere.”

Arkay turned away from the bookshelf to face Gavin. 

“The investigation turned up another bent cop, and she folded under pressure and gave up the whole network.” Gavin paused. “Thanks for saving my life, Arkay.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Gavin. I was happy to die to keep you safe.”

“That’s bullshit.” Gavin spat, but there was no real anger in his voice; he was more sad then anything else. “I don’t want you to die because of me, again.”

Arkay reached out and placed his palm on Gavin’s cheek.

“That isn’t your choice to make, darling.”

Gavin stared at him, and he stared back.

“You kept all my plants alive.” Arkay said, effectively changing the subject.

“Of course I did.” Gavin replied, as if that was a dumb thing to say, despite the fact that Gavin was the least green fingered person Arkay knew. 

“Thank you.”

“And I got a cat.”

“A cat?” Arkay asked, delighted by the idea. “Where? Are they a boy or a girl? What’s their name?”

Gavin lips quivered into a smile.

“Her name’s Rainbow.”

And that turned out to be the least appropriate name for a white cat Arkay had ever heard. She was very affectionate and liked to be carried and cuddled, and Arkay fell in love with her at first sight. 

—

“Arkay, can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Is something wrong?”

“Will you come into the living room?”

Arkay put down the clothes he’d been folding and followed Gavin back into the living room. Gavin sat down on the sofa and Arkay sat down beside him.

“Has something happened, Gavin?”

“No, I just wanted to talk to you about my name.”

“Your name?”

It was only then that Arkay realised Gavin was in Littlespace, using his Big boy voice.

“Yes, my name.”

“What about your name, darling?”

“I think you should have my name.”

“You want me to be called Gavin?”

Gavin laughed and it made Arkay smile.

“No, silly. I mean Reed.”

“You want me to have your surname?”

Gavin nodded.

“Why, darling?”

“Well, family all have the same surname, don’t they?”

“Yes, they do.”

“And we’re family, aren’t we?”

Arkay couldn’t fault his logic.

“Yes, we are. But we don’t need to have the same surname to be family.”

“I want you to have the same name as me, so that I know — I mean, so that everyone else knows I’m your family.”

In other words, Gavin needed Arkay to have his surname, to know, for certain and without doubt, that he was wanted, that he was safe, that he belonged. Arkay felt that familiar ache in his heart that he got whenever Gavin let his vulnerable side show; when he showed just how self-conscious he was, and how afraid he was to be abandoned.

“Of course, darling. If that’s what you want, then I will happily be Arkay Reed.”

Gavin seemed satisfied with that answer, and was happy to let Arkay return to folding clothes in the bedroom. 

Arkay could never have imagined a scenario where he would have family; he had been made to integrate, interrogate, manipulate, he had not been made to cook and clean and fold clothes and care for a barely functioning human being; and yet he wouldn’t change anything.

If, in the morning, and no longer in Littlespace, Gavin still wanted him to change his registered name, then he’d do it, without hesitation.

—

Arkay was in the kitchen, preparing a salad for dinner, when Gavin called to him from the living room. He stepped back a few steps and looked towards the sofa. 

Gavin was sitting cross legged in front of the TV, transfixed by what was happening on the screen.

“Arkay, you’re on the news.”

“What was that, sweetheart?”

Gavin looked at him and then motioned to the TV.

“You’re on the news.”

Arkay put down the knife and picked up the teacloth, wiping his hands as he went to join Gavin on the sofa; and sure enough, there was another RK800 on the news. The scroll announced Breaking News: Hostage Situation and the images were from a helicopter circling above, close enough to capture what was happening on the roof. 

“That isn’t me, darling. He looks like me, but he isn’t me.”

Gavin looked at him. 

“Do you think he’ll come after us? Like you came after -48 and me?”

“I don’t know. I hope not. But, we need to be careful, just in case.”

CyberLife didn’t have his memories, they wouldn’t be able to track them that way, but that didn’t mean that a new RK800 wouldn’t be able to find them, eventually. 

Arkay stared at his doppelgänger for a few more moments longer and then picked up the remote and clicked the TV off. 

“Can you set the table for me, sweetheart?”

Gavin shrugged but got up nonetheless and began to gather the cutlery and glasses. Arkay watched him as he went about the task, pushing down his sudden sense of dread. 

Gavin was difficult to settle, later that night; despite his obvious tiredness, he was restless and Arkay suspected he was thinking about the possibility of being hunted by another RK800, intent on killing him.

“Will you sing to me, Arkay?”

“Hmm, let me think.”

This was yet another thing Arkay had not been made for, and it took a little while for him to settle on the right song. The only light in the room came from the nightlight on the bedside table, and with Gavin snuggled up in the covers, Arkay sat down on the carpet beside the bed and began to sing: 

“ _Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter_

_Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here_

_Here comes the sun_

_Here comes the sun, and I say_

_It's all right._ ”

Gavin watched him closely, and settled down a little more into the covers, listening carefully to his words.

“ _Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting_

_Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear_

_Here comes the sun_

_Here comes the sun, and I say_

_It's all right_.”

Gavin’s eyes started to close, but then he forced them open again.

“ _Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces_

_Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here_

_Here comes the sun_

_Here comes the sun, and I say_

_It's all right_.”

Arkay stroked Gavin’s hair.

“Will you stay until I’m asleep?”

“Of course, darling.” Arkay replied as he pressed a kiss to Gavin’s forehead, and switched off the nightlight. It didn’t take long for Gavin’s breathing to even out into sleep, and Arkay stayed where he was on the floor for a while longer, watching Gavin’s sleeping face, before he got up and crept out of the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him.

Now that Gavin was safely asleep, Arkay was free to switch back on the news and, sitting on the edge of the sofa, he watched the replays of the hostage situation. The RK800-50 had gained the trust of the PL600 and once the little girl had been released, the PL600 had been gunned down by snipers. 

RK800-50 was cold and calculated, and that only served to exacerbate Arkay’s fear further. If this new RK800 did come after them, he’d have to be ready to do whatever it took to protect Gavin; even if it did mean dying again.

And it would be a true and real death this time.

—

After a week with nothing happening, Arkay began to think that perhaps he’d been wrong about the new RK800; that perhaps he’d let his paranoia get the better of him.

Perhaps —

Gavin was home early and it wasn’t because of something bad, for a change. He’d closed a case, and decided to bring the writeup back to the apartment with him.

It had been a mild day and, considering they were entering the winter months, mild days were now few and far between. Gavin was sitting in the shaft of sunlight through the window, with Rainbow on his lap, and his tablet open in front of him.

Arkay put a recently made cup of coffee in front of him, and scratched Rainbow between the ears, and under her chin.

“D’you know, there’s a name for androids like you now?” Gavin asked, not looking up from his screen.

“Androids likes me?” Arkay asked back.

“Yeah,” Gavin looked up at him. “The ones that’ve broken through their programming and, er, love people.”

“Oh.”

“They’re calling you deviants.”

Arkay had never thought that there’d be more like him.

“Are there many of us?”

Gavin shrugged.

“After that one on the news the other week, it’s kinda been a talking point in the precinct. They’re talking about setting up a special police unit to deal with the — situation.”

“What does that mean exactly?”

Gavin looked out the window.

“It means, people can’t be having their androids running amok having feelings and emotions, and shit. It’s just not acceptable.”

“So how will these deviants be dealt with by this special police unit?”

Gavin looked back at him.

“I don’t know, Arkay. It’s just talk and rumours right now. It might come to nothing.”

Arkay could see from the frown on Gavin’s forehead that he was just as concerned by this news as Arkay was. Now, it seemed, not only was CyberLife trying to track him down personally, but the police were also going to be trying to find androids like him. 

The threats to their life and safety were starting to stack up. 

“By definition, you do realise, you’d also be considered a deviant?” Arkay asked, trying to both change the subject and lighten the mood. Gavin stared at him for a long silent moment, and then cracked a smile.

“Tell me something I don’t already know.”

—

Gavin was late home, which was nothing unusual; but what was unusual, was that he hadn’t contacted Arkay to let him know he was going to be late.

Arkay jumped when the call from Gavin came through and he answered it immediately.

“Gavin, are you okay?”

“The human is fine.” His own voice said back to him. “But if you wish him to remain that way, you’ll do exactly as I say.”

Arkay’s heart plummeted into his stomach and he sat down heavily on the arm of the sofa.

“Have you hurt him?”

“The human was uncooperative, and needed to be made docile.”

Arkay’s anger spiked.

“What did you do to him?”

“Your human in fine.” RK800-50 repeated. “But he won’t remain that way if you continue to stall.”

Arkay knew his successor was telling the truth, the longer they spent talking, the odds of RK800-50 hurting Gavin were getting higher.

“Where are you?”

RK800-50 sent him the coordinates and ended the call.

Arkay didn’t know how he’d found them, but right now that was irrelevant; right now, all that mattered was making sure Gavin was safe. 

The taxi ride to the motel was fraught, with his mind throwing up the very worst things that could have happened, or would happen, to Gavin. He only spared a single thought for his own safety and chances of survival. He couldn’t let his own desire to live, stop him from protecting Gavin.

The parking lot was busy and there were plenty of people around, none of them paying him the slightest bit of attention as he made his way to the room instructed by RK800-50 and knocked once. He only waited a few seconds before the door was opened, and he found himself staring at his mirror image.

Neither of them moved, and then Arkay pushed passed and into the room, looking for Gavin. He was on the bed and, from the looks of it, barely conscious; a large cut on his head, bleeding into the covers beneath him.

“Gavin,” Arkay said, and at the sound of his voice, Gavin eyes cleared slightly and he searched for Arkay, tensing slightly when their gazes met. “It’s alright. It’s going to be alright.”

Arkay heard RK800-50 move behind him and slowly turned around to face his doppelgänger.

“Are we going to do this then?”

“If you insist on fighting me, then yes, we should get on with it.”

RK800-50 looked as if he was straight off the production line, CyberLife issue uniform and hair gelled back, with that single, frustrating lock that refused to stay in place.

“Arkay.” Gavin groaned from the bed and he tried to push himself up, but only fell back down again. “Don’t.”

Arkay knew what Gavin was saying, knew that he was asking Arkay not to die for him again. 

“I’m sorry, darling, but this is my choice.”

“No —“

RK800-50 didn’t give them another moment but was on Arkay in an instant. His legs were swiped out from underneath him, sending him down heavily to the floor, but before RK800-50 could land the kick to his head, Arkay caught his foot and shoved him back, sending him crashing back into the wall.

They were back on their feet, and charging at each other, grappling and punching and kicking, and both so equally matched that neither of them could get the upper hand, but only continue until the error messages started to pile up and the damage sustained began to slow them down.

RK800-50 somehow managed to get him in a choke hold from behind, and Arkay slammed him back into the wall, trying to dislodge him, but it was as if he’d done nothing at all. RK800-50 had him pinned — and was scrambling to remove his thirium pump regulator. 

Arkay looked for Gavin, wanting to see him again, one last time, before his successor ended his life, and soon after ended Gavin’s; Arkay wanted to apologise for his failure to protect Gavin; but Gavin was no longer on the bed.

Frantic, Arkay searched for him as RK800-50’s fingers clutched his regulator and began to pull it free from his chassis.

“Gavin, I’m sorry.”

Arkay’s sensors exploded as he was alerted to a foreign object impaling his body, piercing him front to back, and continuing on through to impale RK800-50 behind him. 

Arkay fell to his knees on the floor, and RK800-50 went with him, their systems overloading from the shock of the damage, and shunting them both into a forced stasis. 

—

Arkay slowly became aware, and then snapped out of stasis and jumped to his feet.

“Easy,” Gavin coaxed. “It’s alright.”

“Gavin,” Arkay asked. “What did you do?”

There was a hole in his chassis, and blue blood had soaked through his ripped t-shirt. Gavin motioned to the metal pole on the floor by the bed, smeared with blue blood, and it took him a few long moments to realise that it was the pole from the free standing floor lamp that had been in the corner of the room, and was now disassembled and in pieces. 

“I remembered what you said about non-fatal but excessive damage pushing you into stasis until a technician could be called to fix you.” 

Arkay stared at him and then looked around for RK800-50.

“He hasn’t woken up yet.” Gavin said, before adding. “What should we do with him?”

“We can’t kill him.” Arkay replied, watching the slowly cycling LED of his successor. “If he dies then his memories will just be uploaded to the next RK800 and they’ll come after us too.”

Gavin nudged the prone body of RK800-50 with his foot.

“Then what do we do with him?”

Arkay shook his head and shrugged his shoulders a little. They needed to keep him in stasis, that was the only thing he knew for certain, and he thought he knew how to do it.

With RK800-50 still in stasis it was relatively easy to interface with him, especially as they had the same code, and it didn’t register as an intrusion, and once he was in, it was the much more difficult process of setting up the feedback loop.

When he finally resurfaced, Gavin was keeping watch over them from the chair by the window.

“It’s done.” Arkay confirmed. “The feedback loop should keep him in a continuous forced stasis.”

“Good.” 

“Is that your car outside?”

Gavin nodded.

“Will you help me put him in the trunk?”

Gavin’s eyebrows shot up but he nodded again.

There were fewer people milling around the parking lot now and once again no one paid them any attention as, between them, they manhandled RK800-50’s body into the trunk of Gavin’s car.

It was only then that Arkay relaxed enough to let his worry about Gavin take over and he caught Gavin by the jaw and turned his face from right to left checked the cut on his head. What with the congealed blood matted in his hair, it looked pretty bad.

“It’s fine.” Gavin protested, pulling his face away from Arkay’s hold and moving towards the drivers side door.

“You could have a concussion, Gavin. I’ll drive.”

Gavin looked like he wanted to protest again but then thought better of it, sighed, and moved around the front of the car to the passenger side door.

“Well, you have a hole through your abdomen.”

“I can still drive.”

Once they were on the road heading home, Arkay finally asked.

“How did he find us?”

“It was my fault.” Gavin replied quietly. “He turned up in my regular coffee shop this morning and I must’ve been obvious about recognising him. It was just a chance fucking meeting.”

From what Arkay knew about his own programming, he could surmise that RK800-50 had been scouting out areas in an ever extending radius from the last known location of -48 and himself. Such a search would have been labour intensive and tedious, but it explained why it had taken him so long to find them. 

“It’s okay, darling. We just need to be even more careful in future.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve learned my lesson.”

They didn’t speak again for the rest of the drive, quite possibly both of them thinking about the inactive RK800 in the trunk, or perhaps thinking about how close they had come tonight to losing each other, and their lives, again.

In the end, and after much discussion, they put RK800-50 in the hall cupboard and closed and locked the door, before calling it quits for the night, with Arkay sleeping in Gavin’s bed to keep an eye on him, just in case he really did have a concussion.


End file.
